S1: A wise counselor once advised, keep the main thing, the
S1: main thing. But ironically, when it comes to Christmas, you
S1: and I let other things obscure the profound. But what
S1: if we got it right? Today you're invited to join
S1: us for an adventure in rediscovering Christmas. And as part
S1: of that adventure, we'll tell you everything you need to
S1: know about this week's events in the Middle East, and
S1: we'll answer a great set of Bible questions. Welcome to
S1: the land and the book with Charlie Dyer. And I'm
S1: John Gager. And you know, Charlie, as the end of
S1: this year approaches, many world events have left us wondering
S1: what God's plan is for the future, particularly when it
S1: comes to Israel. Despite its small size, people around the
S1: world are just intensely focused on what takes place. There
S1: are today's headlines connected in any way at all with
S1: prophecies in the Bible. And how should followers of Jesus
S1: interpret current events as we await his second coming.
S2: Yeah, John. And to help answer those crucial questions, our
S2: friends at Life and Messiah urge you to check out
S2: their book, God, Israel and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as
S2: its foundation. This book will take you on a journey
S2: into what God has in store for the Jewish people
S2: and the nations. This book is for anyone who wants
S2: to explore where modern day events fit on God's grand timeline. Now,
S2: if that's you or someone you know, this would be
S2: a great resource or gift. Visit Life in Messiah org
S2: and click on the Moody Radio button to find out
S2: how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and
S2: Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: Well, let's take a look at current events from the
S1: Middle East, where a somewhat shaky ceasefire appears to still
S1: be holding in Lebanon, while talks are also underway to
S1: resolve the fighting between Israel and Hamas. After more than
S1: a year, could we finally be seeing the end of
S1: both conflicts?
S2: You know, I have a friend who has an expression
S2: that fits this situation. He would say one could wish.
S2: The idea being, it's something nice to hope for. But
S2: don't hold your breath. Now, the cease fire with Hezbollah
S2: is still in place, in spite of several violations of
S2: the agreement by Hezbollah. Israel responded militarily to those violations,
S2: and hopefully the Lebanese army and the monitoring mechanism will
S2: get put in place within the 60 day time frame
S2: and will prove to be effective in keeping Hezbollah from
S2: rearming and attacking. Hamas has apparently signaled a readiness for
S2: hostage negotiations and a willingness to drop some of its
S2: previous demands. Part of the reason for this is apparently
S2: Hamas's realization that Iran wasn't willing to rescue Hezbollah from Israel,
S2: and as a result, won't be coming to the aid
S2: of Hamas either. Negotiations with Hamas are more tentative. An
S2: Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo Thursday for talks, but it's
S2: not yet clear if this is a serious effort on
S2: the part of Hamas to reach an agreement or just deploy.
S2: Some of the optimism is being driven by a statement,
S2: actually a warning to Hamas on the part of president
S2: elect Trump that he wants a cease fire that includes
S2: a hostage deal in place before he assumes office, or
S2: else there are reports Hamas might be willing to allow
S2: Israel to maintain a temporary presence in the security corridor
S2: between Egypt and Gaza. Now we'll have to wait and
S2: see what happens with these negotiations.
S1: Story number two. 14 years after the Syrian revolution against
S1: the Assad regime, fighting has again resumed there. How serious
S1: is the conflict and why does it seem to have
S1: suddenly flared up again? Yeah.
S2: Right now the conflict appears to be serious. Now, let
S2: me try to provide a simplified explanation of what's really
S2: a very confusing situation. Syria is controlled by Bashar al
S2: Assad and the Ba'ath Party religiously. Assad is an Alawite,
S2: which is an offshoot of the Shiite branch of Islam,
S2: even though most Syrians are Sunni Muslims. Back in the
S2: early 2000, as the Arab Spring swept through the Middle East,
S2: it included a revolt against Assad. Part of it was religious,
S2: with the majority Sunni Arabs chafing under the rule of
S2: the minority Alawites. The revolt opened the door for ISIS,
S2: a Sunni Islamic group which eventually took control of northern
S2: Iraq and a large part of Syria. Assad survived thanks
S2: to the help of Russia and Iran and Iran's allies
S2: like Hezbollah. The official government in Damascus remained in power
S2: thanks to Shiite Muslims and Russia. Well, elements of ISIS
S2: still remain, along with other Sunni Islamic groups. One of
S2: those is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. They're abbreviated as Htz. Some
S2: of the groups received support from Turkey, which has used
S2: them as mercenaries in its fight against the Kurds. Two
S2: recent events, though, changed all this equation. The first was
S2: Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the second was Israel's conflict
S2: with Hezbollah and Iran. This bogged down the groups who
S2: were supporting Assad. That is, Russia and Iran keeping them
S2: from providing additional support, has launched a surprise attack against
S2: Aleppo and overran the city in a matter of days.
S2: They took over major areas in northern Syria. And one
S2: real fear is that the rebels could overrun military bases
S2: where chemical weapons are stored. Russia and Iran have provided
S2: some air support, but they aren't able to offer any
S2: immediate ground support. And what happens next will depend on
S2: how these different groups respond. Will Assad's forces be able
S2: to beat back the rebels? Will the so-called Syrian National Army,
S2: which is backed by Turkey, be able to keep from
S2: advancing further south? Will the Kurds be able to hold out,
S2: or will they form an alliance with Assad to help
S2: stop the rebels? Will Russia and Iran be stretched to
S2: the breaking point, trying to invest more resources to support Assad?
S2: And how will Israel respond since every one of these groups,
S2: except for the Kurds, oppose them. This could all die
S2: down rather quickly, or it could become another religious and
S2: ethnic war pitting Sunnis against Shiites, Turkey against the Kurds
S2: and Arabs against Persians. But we need to watch to
S2: see if Russia and Iran can arrange for some sort
S2: of an agreement between Syria and Turkey to end the conflict,
S2: or if it's going to continue spiraling out of control.
S1: Charlie, I'm sure there are listeners who, like me, are wondering,
S1: what do Russia and Iran get out of this? You
S1: can understand Iran being Shiite, having sympathy toward, you know,
S1: the regime there. But what's in it for Russia?
S2: Russia's dominant freshwater port in the Mediterranean is Tartus, which
S2: is part of Syria. And Russia has a base there.
S2: In fact, there are reports that they've begun evacuating some
S2: of their ships in that port out of fear that
S2: the the rebels might end up making it that far down. Wow.
S1: You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio.
S1: Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, helping us understand what's happening
S1: in the Middle East. Archaeologists believe they have identified several
S1: items belonging to Alexander the Great in a tomb in Vergina, Greece.
S1: How can they be certain these items actually belong to
S1: the Alexander the Great? And were they actually found in
S1: the tomb of Alexander the Great?
S2: Well, let me answer the last question first. They were
S2: not found in the tomb of Alexander. His exact burial
S2: spot is still unknown. What they did find were several
S2: articles they feel certain did belong to Alexander. And they
S2: were found in that tomb complex in Vergina. One item
S2: is a purple and white tunic. It matches a design
S2: on a frieze in the tomb complex, where it's shown
S2: being worn by Alexander. The amount of purple dye required
S2: to make the tunic would have cost a small fortune,
S2: suggesting its owner was someone of great prominence. Near the
S2: tunic they found a scepter, oak wreath and diadem, all
S2: made of gold, which match articles shown on reliefs and
S2: drawings that depict Alexander the Great. If it wasn't Alexander's tomb,
S2: what were these items doing there? Well, the archaeologists believe
S2: the tomb complex belonged to Alexander's family. The three main
S2: tombs contain the remains of Alexander's father, Philip II of Macedon,
S2: Alexander's son, who died in his teens, and Alexander's half
S2: brother Philip the Third, who was crowned king after Alexander's death.
S2: The tunic and gold items were found in the tomb
S2: belonging to Philip the Third, who likely appropriated them after
S2: Alexander's death to give himself legitimacy as heir to the throne.
S2: This fascinating find helped identify those buried in the tombs,
S2: and also provide some historical insight into Alexander the Great himself.
S1: No remains of any bodies, though.
S2: Well, there were some remains, but again, sadly nothing of
S2: Alexander the Great yet.
S1: Well, electric vehicles are said to be the wave of
S1: the future, but one unintended consequence is a rising pile
S1: of expended batteries. A pioneering Israeli company has developed a
S1: program to recycle the lithium and other toxic materials in
S1: a safe, cost effective way. Tell us about the startup
S1: company battery and its plan to make recycling lithium batteries commonplace.
S2: Yeah. Israel is ahead of the U.S. in terms of
S2: battery powered bikes, scooters and cars. You know, a year ago, 20%
S2: of all cars purchased in Israel were electric. Scooter and
S2: bicycle batteries last about two years. Car batteries were expected
S2: to last 5 to 6 years, but the number of
S2: batteries needing to be replaced has increased faster than expected,
S2: in part because some of the original batteries had defects.
S2: And for battery, this all looks like an opportunity. They
S2: formed the company to safely, effectively and economically recycle all
S2: types of lithium ion batteries. Their production line captures every
S2: speck of battery dust. The recycled powder brings thousands of
S2: dollars per ton. The plant in southern Israel was just
S2: inaugurated this past summer and handles everything from £13 scooter
S2: batteries to half ton car batteries to two ton electric
S2: bus batteries. When recycled, each battery produces a 60% mixture
S2: of black powder composed of nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium.
S2: It also contains, by volume, 17% copper, 8% aluminum, and
S2: all the rest is plastic, and everything is recycled except
S2: for the plastic, which right now has little demand. Israel
S2: has no laws governing the recycling of batteries, and battery,
S2: wants to set the pace by showing how it can
S2: do it safely, economically and sustainably. And that is an
S2: innovation from amazing Israel. I think that we can all applaud.
S1: Charlie, I want to go back to the story of
S1: Hamas and their surprising supposed willingness to negotiate. Apart from
S1: Iran's signaling, it will not bail out Hamas, what other
S1: factor might persuade Hamas to be a bit more conciliatory?
S2: I think the death of their key leadership, which were
S2: the ones who were standing firm saying, we will not negotiate,
S2: Israel needs to pull out. And suddenly without those leaders,
S2: it made them far more willing to negotiate.
S1: Interesting. We're about to join on an adventure of rediscovering
S1: Christmas right here on the land and the book.
UU: For some, the.
S1: Nativity story has become so familiar it's been robbed of
S1: its power. For others, the biblical narrative is more like
S1: a puzzle. The pieces are all there, but it's just
S1: not clear how they all fit together. For example, Luke
S1: talks about shepherds in a census, while Matthew deals with
S1: wise men and an escape to Egypt. There's a star
S1: and a manger and more angels than you can count,
S1: so it can't be hard to keep it all straight.
S1: But what if we could put it all together? Well,
S1: you're invited to join us for an adventure in rediscovering Christmas.
S1: A welcome to the second of four segments here on
S1: the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and let's
S1: get creative for just a moment and think about ways
S1: that we can reach out to our Jewish friends with
S1: the message of the one who was born at Christmas.
S1: So you would like to have a conversation with your
S1: Jewish friend, and you'd like that conversation to be centered
S1: on Jesus and your Christian faith. But you're kind of
S1: nervous because they might just ask a question that you
S1: cannot answer. What then, Greg Savitt, what do you say?
S3: Well, by your faith in Jesus, the New Testament that
S3: has over 250 direct quotes and 880 allusions, you will
S3: know more about the Bible than they will. And if
S3: they ask a question, go to the gospel of Google.
S3: Look it up right there on your phone, and if
S3: you don't have an answer, I would go and research
S3: them and find them the next day and say, I
S3: found the answer that you were looking for, and then
S3: you can sit down and have a conversation. Jewish people
S3: will respect you more if you say, I really don't
S3: know that. That's a great question, as opposed to you
S3: just flying by the seat of your pants and giving
S3: them an answer that really you don't know anything about.
S3: So it's okay to say I don't understand and to
S3: get back to them.
S1: Greg Savage is with Rock of Israel and joins us
S1: with insights here on the land and the book. John
S1: Greco is a writer who served as editor for the.
S1: He Reads Truth Bible and New Testament theological editor for
S1: the NIV Cultural Background Study Bible. John and his wife, Lauren,
S1: live just south of Nashville, Tennessee, where they're kept sufficiently
S1: busy raising their three boys. We're here today to focus
S1: on his new devotional, Rediscovering Christmas. It's great to have
S1: you on the land and the book, John.
S4: It's great to be here. Thanks so much.
S1: One of the things I loved as I spent time
S1: with rediscovering Christmas is the sense of calm and quiet
S1: and comfort that just kind of wash over you as
S1: you read. How do you account for that, John? I mean,
S1: it's almost an antidote to the rush and crush of
S1: Christmas in book form.
S4: Yeah. So as we, you know, as we're talking to
S4: the publisher, when we were kind of making plans for
S4: how this book might be laid out. That was one
S4: of the concerns, right? Christmas is very busy that season.
S4: The whole season from, you know, before Thanksgiving right up
S4: until New Year's. You know, everyone is is running around. So,
S4: you know, there are a lot of devotionals out there.
S4: There are a lot of advent reading plans, and they
S4: all seem, you know, they're 25 days or there's nothing
S4: for you to do every day. It seems like one
S4: more thing on your to do list. And so we
S4: wanted to create a book that would help someone, you know,
S4: go a little bit deeper with the Christmas story, spend
S4: time with the Lord, get that personal reflection, and really
S4: help someone dive into what was happening in that first Christmas,
S4: but not feel like it's another chore. So you're right,
S4: it is a little bit airy. There's 12. It's set
S4: up as 12 readings. So, you know, there's 25 days
S4: in December to Christmas. If you want to go every
S4: other day, you're going to get there. If you want
S4: to go straight through, you're going to get there. But
S4: if you miss a day, don't worry about it. You
S4: can go back. For a lot of people, this is
S4: going to end up being the true 12 days of
S4: Christmas where where they're doing it, you know, once the
S4: rush is over and Christmas has happened, they're doing it from,
S4: you know, Christmas to January 6th, epiphany. So there's kind
S4: of a bunch of different ways you can do it.
S4: But the idea is I don't want to put another
S4: thing on your back. I just want to help you
S4: really focus on Christmas and, you know, enjoy it while
S4: you're doing it.
S1: You describe Rediscovering Christmas as a modern paraphrase of the
S1: Christmas story, drawn directly from the Gospels and created to
S1: help readers see the father's heart and details that are
S1: all too often overlooked. Give an example of one detail
S1: that you feel is overlooked. John.
S4: Yeah, so part of the book is I've retold the
S4: Christmas story. I mean, I went back to the Hebrew
S4: and Greek, but I wouldn't call it a translation because
S4: I'm intentionally filling in details that that Matthew and Luke
S4: leave out. I'm also placing the Christmas story in chronological order,
S4: because people have sometimes asked me, you know, I've had
S4: dads come up to me and say, I want to
S4: read the Christmas story with my family, but, you know,
S4: I don't know where to start or what goes where.
S4: Where the wise men fit in with the shepherds. And
S4: so I've kind of laid the whole thing out chronologically,
S4: so you can read it as one story, but as
S4: far as details go and things that people often miss.
S4: Here's a here's a good one. So we've all heard, right.
S4: There was no room at the inn. But if you
S4: actually look at the word that's often translated inn. It's
S4: probably better translated as something like guest room. The reason
S4: we think that is because. So Luke uses that word
S4: in Luke two. It's the word kataluma, the Greek word kataluma.
S4: But he describes an inn later in his gospel when
S4: Jesus is telling the parable of the Good Samaritan and
S4: it's not that word. So we sort of know, okay,
S4: if he was going to really talk about an actual
S4: commercial inn like we would think of, he wouldn't use
S4: the word kataluma. He does use that word kataluma when
S4: he's describing the upper room where Jesus and his disciples
S4: had their last meal. Yes. So that gives you the
S4: sense that it's really more of like, you know, the room,
S4: you know, at the top of the house, a guest
S4: room for people. And so that kind of changes the
S4: whole story if you think about it. Because now, instead
S4: of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem the night she's
S4: going to go into labor and they're struggling to find
S4: an inn, they're probably in a relative's house. And the
S4: reason they're not in the upper room or the kataluma
S4: is just because there are other people there. Everyone's coming
S4: to town for the census, so now they're in the
S4: room below there. There's a manger there. Not because it's
S4: a barn or a stable or even a cave, but
S4: because this is the lower room in the house where
S4: on a really cold night, the animals might have been
S4: brought in. And so there's not necessarily animals there, but
S4: the manger is there, you know, from when that is
S4: the case. And so now it's a different picture, right.
S4: They're in a family home. They're likely surrounded by loved ones.
S4: You know, God's really taking care of them as opposed
S4: to kind of the way we always picture it, which is,
S4: you know, it's Mary and Joseph fighting against the elements.
S4: They're all on their own. They're suffering for the Lord.
S4: And it's I don't really think Scripture is telling us that.
S4: I think it's actually communicating. No, no, no, God is
S4: a good father who provides. And even when it didn't
S4: seem like there was a way to have a relatively
S4: normal childbirth experience, he does it for Mary, who said willingly,
S4: you know, be it to me, as you say, to
S4: Angel Gabriel. And so I think that's a beautiful picture.
S4: And we often kind of miss. And it's because of
S4: that one little word. Right? Yeah. So that's the sort
S4: of thing that I point out in the book, this is.
S1: The land and the book. I'm John Gager, and we're
S1: talking today with John Greco, who encourages us to be
S1: rediscovering Christmas. In reading number four, you take us to
S1: the birth of John the Baptist, and you write, holding
S1: their little boy in their arms, the one God who
S1: chose to prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah and
S1: Elizabeth understood that Yahweh is indeed gracious, more gracious than
S1: they could ever have imagined. Elaborate. Just a bit more
S1: on this.
S4: Yeah. So there's this thing that happens. We all know
S4: the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, right? They're an older couple.
S4: They can't have children. They're beyond childbearing age. They most
S4: likely have been praying for decades. And the answer seemed
S4: to be no. And then Zechariah is in the temple
S4: offering up incense. It's his turn to do it. His
S4: his division was there time, and he was chosen by
S4: lot from the division. So he's doing this once in
S4: a lifetime honor. He's in the temple, and an angel
S4: appears to him. And it's Gabriel. And he says, your
S4: prayer has been heard. Right. And it's kind of this
S4: funny thing because there's really two prayers, right? It's pretty clear.
S4: Gabriel is talking about his prayer for a child. But also,
S4: you know, he was in there offering incense, praying for
S4: Israel in the hope of Israel. And so the hope
S4: of Israel, the hope of Zechariah and Elizabeth. It's being
S4: answered in one fell swoop with a baby. That baby
S4: is John the Baptist. The funny thing is, is if
S4: you go into the names Elizabeth and Zechariah, there's sort
S4: of a a funny thing that happens where Zechariah's name
S4: means Yahweh remembers and Elizabeth's name means my God is
S4: an oath. So every time they speak to one another,
S4: they're being reminded that, hey, does God remember? Remember my prayer? Hey,
S4: is God going to keep his promise? He told Abraham
S4: that you know his his children, his descendants would be
S4: no more than the sands on the seashore. And what
S4: about me? Am I included in that? Am I going
S4: to get to have children? And so it's kind of
S4: this almost bittersweet reminder every time their names are spoken.
S4: And if you go into Luke where John the Baptist
S4: is born and Zechariah is praising God, he says this
S4: thing that just kind of answers that. He says, let
S4: me read it for you. This is Luke one. So
S4: I'll start with verse 72. Zechariah's praise of God. He
S4: says he has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered
S4: his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our
S4: father Abraham. So Zechariah's recognizing that God's answering these longings right.
S4: And then God does this thing with another name. He
S4: tells them, right, name the child John. Well, John means
S4: Yahweh is gracious. And that's the answer to their prayers
S4: is yes. God is more gracious than you could have imagined. Right?
S4: So it's this beautiful picture that we often miss because
S4: we don't necessarily go back and go, what do these
S4: names mean? But there it is, right? God answers the
S4: longings of our hearts and oftentimes in ways better than
S4: we could have imagined.
S1: John Greco is a writer who served as editor for
S1: the He Reads Truth Bible and New Testament theological editor
S1: for the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. In a reading
S1: titled The Sign of the manger, you write, the feeding
S1: trough wasn't simply a makeshift cradle. It pointed to Jesus
S1: purpose on earth. What do we need to know about this, John?
S4: Yeah, so this is another one where the angel that
S4: appears to the shepherds, right? He's very specific in the
S4: language that's chosen. He says this will be a sign
S4: for you. You will find the baby wrapped in a manger,
S4: wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And
S4: that word sign in the Bible. Signs are a big deal, right?
S4: Signs point to prophetic revelation. They point to miracles. They
S4: point to divine uncoverings. There's kind of like a lot
S4: loaded in a sign. And so we should think, well,
S4: what is this sign? What is so special? It's more
S4: than just. Oh, yeah, like you said, it's more than
S4: a makeshift cradle. And so when you think about it, right,
S4: what is what is a manger? A manger is a
S4: feeding trough. It's where animals go to eat. And Jesus,
S4: you know, when he's an adult and he's in his ministry,
S4: he's going to say, I'm the bread of life. You know,
S4: you must eat of my flesh. And this is in
S4: John six. And when he tells the crowds this, they
S4: it says, you know, the many disciples stopped following him
S4: because it's such teaching. But that's the reality. If we
S4: are going to be saved, if we are going to
S4: truly know God, we have to partake of Jesus life.
S4: And so it's fitting then, that when Jesus was born,
S4: he was placed in a manger, which is where you know,
S4: what goes into a manger, dies so that the sheep
S4: can have life. And, you know, as Isaiah famously said,
S4: we all, like sheep have gone astray. We need that life. And,
S4: you know, again, Bethlehem means house of bread. So, so
S4: it's all these little details are so fitting to kind
S4: of point us forward past Christmas, to Easter, to the cross,
S4: because that really, you know, if you think about Christmas,
S4: the good news of Christmas, it really isn't good news
S4: without Easter, right? We are in need of a savior.
S4: We needed the cross. We need the empty tomb. And
S4: so I always say, the best way to look at
S4: Easter is to look through the manger and see that
S4: that was part of God's plan all along. That's what
S4: Jesus came for. That is how he is our Savior.
S4: As the angel told those shepherds just.
S1: Joining us, I'm John Gager and today on the land
S1: and the book, it's a visit with John Greco, who
S1: has written Rediscovering Christmas. I want to talk about two
S1: other characters in the Christmas story, Simeon and Anna. You
S1: write to anyone who might have passed by Simeon or Anna.
S1: They would have seemed of little consequence. Just two old
S1: timers in the temple courts. But God saw them for
S1: who they were, his friends, and they were beautiful in
S1: his sight. What does that say to folks listening right now, John,
S1: to this conversation who feel old and worn out and
S1: lacking worth?
S4: Yeah. So it's true, right? We would have looked at
S4: Simeon and Anna and not really thought much about them.
S4: They weren't priests, they weren't wearing all the garb and
S4: they weren't the supposed representatives of God and all that.
S4: They were just regular people. But they. The Bible tells
S4: us that they both walked with the Lord. The Holy
S4: Spirit was upon Simeon. Anna was called a prophetess. So
S4: they're both, you know, they both have the spirit at
S4: work in their lives, and they're obeying him and they're
S4: they're looking for the Messiah. So what's funny there is,
S4: you know, Jesus is we sort of know the story, right?
S4: We know Jesus is going to come to die for
S4: our sins. He is the sacrificial lamb. One of the
S4: jobs of the priests in the temple was to to
S4: identify and to review and to say, this sacrifice is
S4: approved and Jesus comes to them and they present him
S4: as part of the dedication. And, you know, the priests
S4: don't recognize who he is, and we can't really blame them.
S4: Jesus looks like a normal baby, but there's no supernatural insight. However,
S4: God reveals who Jesus is, who this little Jewish baby
S4: that looks like a thousand others, who he is to
S4: people you would not have expected, right? Simeon and Anna.
S4: And that's sort of the nature of the kingdom, right?
S4: God looks at what's going on in your heart. God
S4: looks for who his friends are, who the people who
S4: are really chasing after him, and those are the people
S4: he reveals his secrets to. Those are the people he
S4: speaks to in ways that the religious folks, the people
S4: who seem to have it all together on the outside.
S4: They often miss it because they're not walking in that
S4: union with God the way someone like Simeon or Anna
S4: would have. So, you know, I look at that and
S4: I say, wow, there's hope for me. Right. I'm not
S4: anybody special. But if I keep on walking with the Lord,
S4: you know, I keep listening to his voice, you know,
S4: looking for what the spirit is leading me to. I
S4: can be part of God's story. I can be part
S4: of God's plan.
S1: Well, this is going to be cruel, but I'm going
S1: to ask you to limit it to 1 or 2 sentences.
S1: When we've turned the last page in this book, how
S1: would you like us to be different, John?
S5: Oh, well.
S4: What you said in the intro, you know, I really
S4: want people to see the heart of the father. I
S4: really want to see. I want people to see that
S4: throughout this whole story, as it is with the whole Bible,
S4: what's really there is a good God who loves us,
S4: who's gracious, who opens the way for us to be
S4: with him forever, to have joy and peace and life.
S4: And that's all there in the Christmas story, right? And
S4: so I just that's what I hope people walk away
S4: with a good sense of the heart of the father.
S1: Well well done. And, John, thank you for rediscovering Christmas.
S1: There's a link to that book at our website, The
S1: Land and the book. Org. Thanks for the visit. Hope
S1: you have a great Christmas, John.
S4: Thank you. Merry Christmas.
S1: Well, coming up on the program, Charlie Dyer returns to
S1: answer your questions right here on the land and the book.
S1: Hope your day is going well. This is the land
S1: and the book from Moody Radio. I'm John Gager. Our host,
S1: Doctor Charlie Dyer, is here to answer Bible questions, prophecy questions,
S1: questions about Israel, the end times. Yeah, it's all good stuff.
S1: And it's all coming your way next here on the
S1: land and the book. But, you know, as the end
S1: of the year approaches, many world events have left us
S1: wondering what is God's plan for the future? And this
S1: is especially true when it comes to Israel, right? Despite
S1: its tiny size, people around the world are intensely focused
S1: on what takes place in Israel. So are today's headlines
S1: connected in any way with prophecies in the Bible? How
S1: should followers of Jesus interpret current events as we await
S1: his second coming?
S2: And to help answer those important questions, our friends at
S2: Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their book, God, Israel,
S2: and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as its foundation. This book
S2: will take you on a journey into what God has
S2: in store for the Jewish people and the nations. The
S2: book is for anyone who wants to explore where modern
S2: day events fit on God's grand timeline. If that's you
S2: or someone you know, this would be a great resource
S2: or gift. Visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on
S2: the Moody Radio button there to find out how you
S2: can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible prophecy.
S2: That's life in messiah.org.
S1: And because our list of questions is always a long one,
S1: we'll get right to it with this one from Nancy.
S1: She says, what is the meaning of first Corinthians 11,
S1: verse ten, where Paul said women ought to have authority
S1: over their own head because of the angels. What could
S1: angels possibly have to do with head coverings? The entire
S1: passage seems out of date. However, I am aware that
S1: all Scripture is God breathed and meant to train us.
S1: Any enlightening you can offer will be helpful.
S2: Yeah, well, within this section of First Corinthians, Paul's addressing
S2: issues that were related to the exercise of personal liberty
S2: versus demonstration of proper respect and concern for others. In
S2: chapter nine, he explained what his rights were as an apostle.
S2: But then he says, I've not used any of these
S2: rights in verse 15. In chapter ten, he uses Israel
S2: in the wilderness as an example before making his point
S2: against setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
S2: And finally he says, there everything is permissible, but not
S2: everything is beneficial. That's in verse 23. And his point
S2: is that no one should seek his own good but
S2: the good of others. Then in chapter 11, Paul deals
S2: with the issue of personal freedom versus concern for and
S2: submission to others in matters of public worship. Now, I'm
S2: not sure we fully understand all the cultural distinctives of
S2: first century Corinth, and I think we sometimes focus on
S2: those details rather than the main topic being addressed. I
S2: think the main points Paul is making are clear, though.
S2: He begins by focusing on the reality that we are
S2: to display proper respect for authority as a way to
S2: honor God. Paul applies this to men, women, and Christ
S2: in verse three. He then explains how the willingness to
S2: demonstrate such respect is to be displayed within the gathering
S2: of the local church. While the specifics of how we
S2: are to demonstrate respect and proper biblical submission might vary
S2: within cultures. Two statements Paul makes seem to say, we
S2: can't simply throw out the entire section by saying it's
S2: just cultural at first. In verses eight and nine, Paul
S2: anchors his statements in creation itself. Complementary roles for men
S2: and women were established as part of God's creative order.
S2: And second, in verse ten, Paul anchors his statement about
S2: the need to demonstrate proper respect and submission in the
S2: reality that we're being observed by the angelic order. We
S2: only understand a small sliver of all that's involved in
S2: God's creation of angels and in Satan's rebellion. But Paul
S2: wants his readers to understand that the angels are watching
S2: the outworking of God's program for humanity, to understand the
S2: importance of obedience, submission, and respect for authority. Americans like
S2: to focus on our rights. Paul's stressing our need to
S2: focus on our responsibilities, and that's an important lesson for
S2: us to remember.
S1: Gene takes us to Genesis three verse 15, where it
S1: says that Satan will bruise the heel of Jesus. She asks,
S1: what does that mean?
S2: Yeah, I actually believe Genesis 315 is the first messianic
S2: prophecy in the Bible. The seed of the woman was
S2: ultimately Jesus and his followers, and the seed of the
S2: serpent referred to Satan and all his demonic followers. Satan
S2: tried to strike at or crush or bruise Jesus by
S2: killing him. He had. Herod ordered the killing of all
S2: the babies in Bethlehem. He tried to get Jesus to
S2: sin when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and he
S2: entered the heart of Judas to betray Jesus in the
S2: Garden of Gethsemane, however, Satan was only able to strike
S2: at Jesus's heel in the sense that his plan failed
S2: when Jesus rose from the dead. In contrast, Jesus will
S2: eventually strike at Satan's head in the sense that Satan
S2: and his followers will be sent to the lake of
S2: fire for eternal punishment. One last thought you might wonder
S2: if this is what the verse actually means, or if
S2: I'm somehow reading into it. Well, I believe that's what
S2: was intended, because later in Romans 16, verse 20, Paul
S2: alludes to this verse to encourage the believers in Rome
S2: as he writes, The God of peace will soon crush
S2: Satan under your feet. Paul makes it clear that the
S2: serpent being referred to as Satan, God through Jesus is
S2: the one who's going to crush him. And in first
S2: Corinthians six three, we're told that we will also take
S2: part in God's judgment of the angels.
S1: This is the land and the book from Moody Radio
S1: segment three Questions and Answers. Charlie Dyer, our host. I'm
S1: John Gager. Patty wants to know, do you know where
S1: I can get a list showing how the different names
S1: of God, like Jehovah Jireh and Jehovah Nissi are spelled
S1: in both English and in Hebrew?
S2: Well, a good source for information like this is a website.
S2: It's called Blue Letter Bible. They have a number of
S2: helpful tools for Bible study, including a section on the
S2: names of God in the Old Testament, and they even
S2: provide a link for each name that will show you
S2: how it's written in Hebrew. Uh, this.
S1: Question from Mary in William Newell's commentary on Hebrews, he writes,
S1: Christ did not resume the flesh and blood life that
S1: he had before dying. That life was laid down ended.
S1: Mary says, I understand that as risen and at God's
S1: right hand, Jesus doesn't have the human weakness or fallibility
S1: that a fleshly body would have. But I thought he
S1: kept his humanness rather than becoming a spirit I don't understand.
S1: Thanks for your help.
S2: Yeah, I don't believe Newell is saying that Christ's physical
S2: body ceased to exist following his death on the cross. Rather,
S2: I believe he's trying to draw a distinction between the
S2: physical body Jesus had prior to his crucifixion and the
S2: resurrection body he had afterward. In first Corinthians 15, Paul says,
S2: the resurrection body is fundamentally different from our current body.
S2: He writes, so it will be with the resurrection of
S2: the dead. The body that is sown is perishable. It
S2: is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor. It's raised
S2: in glory. It's sown in weakness. It's raised in power.
S2: It's sown a natural body. It's raised a spiritual body.
S2: The scriptures also make it clear that following his resurrection,
S2: Jesus wasn't just a ghost or an apparition, though his
S2: body was different. For example, he was able to disappear
S2: from two disciples in Emmaus and then later appeared to
S2: the disciples in Jerusalem. But in the same passage, when
S2: the disciples cry out thinking he's some sort of a
S2: ghost or spirit. It says he showed them his hands
S2: and his feet. Apparently demonstrating that his body still bore
S2: the marks of the crucifixion. When they continued having doubts,
S2: he asked for something to eat. Jesus was even more
S2: specific when he later appeared to Thomas, and told Thomas
S2: to touch his hands and ask Thomas to place his
S2: hand in Jesus's side to feel the marks from the crucifixion.
S2: Jesus possessed an actual physical body, though he was resurrected
S2: and glorified. I don't believe we can fully understand what
S2: a resurrection body is like, which is why Paul focused
S2: on that in first Corinthians 15. It's a real, tangible
S2: body that's recognizable, and yet it's also different than the
S2: physical body we have today. I think we'll definitely be
S2: amazed when we receive our resurrection bodies, and I know
S2: they will be similar to the one Jesus received in
S2: his resurrection. And frankly, I can't wait.
S1: Todd wonders, could you please explain Isaiah 42 verses 18
S1: through 20? To me, I'm struggling to know who it
S1: refers to.
S2: Yeah, I see these verses referring to the nation of Israel,
S2: especially the people who ended up in Babylonian exile because
S2: of their disobedience. Going back to the announcement of that
S2: exile back in chapter 39 of Isaiah. This chapter introduces
S2: us to the first of four servant songs. That's chapters
S2: 42 and 49 and 50. And then in 53, as
S2: each song builds, the ultimate servant Israel, that is, the
S2: Messiah fulfills everything that the original servant Israel, that is
S2: the nation had failed to accomplish. He becomes the light
S2: to the Gentiles, but he also died to bring the
S2: people of Israel back to God. And he actually mentions
S2: that in chapter 49, verses five and six. Now, within
S2: this larger context, God points out why this new servant,
S2: whom he identifies as Israel in 49 three is needed.
S2: Though the nation was originally called to be God's servant,
S2: to take the light of God's word to the Gentiles,
S2: the people had become deaf and blind themselves. I see
S2: the servant songs as an ever narrowing funnel. In the beginning,
S2: the people and this individual are both identified as God's
S2: servant Israel. But the original Israel, the nation had failed,
S2: had become deaf and blind to God himself, and had
S2: ended up themselves needing to be brought back to God.
S2: As Isaiah continues, it becomes clear that the ultimate servant, Israel,
S2: is the Messiah, Jesus, who will be rejected by the
S2: people and put to death. But his death is what
S2: will provide atonement for both Israel and the Gentiles. As
S2: Isaiah 53 says, he was despised and rejected by men,
S2: a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering, like one
S2: from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and
S2: we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities
S2: and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God,
S2: smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for
S2: our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment
S2: that brought us peace was upon him, and by his
S2: wounds we are healed. So really, as you start with
S2: Isaiah 42 and go to Isaiah 53, you see this
S2: servant who starts out like Israel but becomes everything Israel.
S2: The nation had failed to be. And ultimately dies to
S2: provide Israel and the nations salvation.
S1: Well, we've been all over the map here. Old Testament,
S1: New Testament, deep questions, historical questions. And was one of
S1: them your questions? If not, you need to send it
S1: to us. You can do that easily at the land
S1: and the book@moody.edu. Give us a few days to get
S1: an answer to you and then hang on for a
S1: few weeks or months as we get it on the broadcast.
S1: Coming up, Charlie Dyer's devotional. I love these devotionals and
S1: so many of you have already said you do, so
S1: stick around for more. Everybody loves a great story, particularly
S1: a story about somebody who's gone from rags to riches. Well,
S1: it's not rags to riches, but it's pit to palace.
S1: As we look at the life of Joseph and your
S1: devotional coming up, Charlie. Interesting life Joseph led, wasn't it?
S2: Absolutely. One of the real heroes of the faith, especially
S2: at that point in the Bible's history.
S1: Yeah, I'm looking forward to that devotional after this Holy
S1: Land experience, a testimony you and I should listen to
S1: right now.
S6: I'm Doris Bailey from Vail, Colorado, and I am so
S6: privileged to have been here. I was in Israel probably 43,
S6: 44 years ago, and my goodness, it's the traffic was
S6: bad then. You ought to see it now. And it's
S6: worth every traffic jam you'll ever be in. I think
S6: that being with a group from the church is a
S6: new experience for me, and I have been overwhelmed with
S6: the people in this group. There just hasn't been a complainer.
S6: There hasn't been a problem. I think that Christians being
S6: with Christians has just been a profound experience for me
S6: on this trip, and then thinking about the people of
S6: the time of Jesus, I just cannot fathom and understand
S6: and comprehend that I can now see where Jesus walked
S6: and I have been staggered by the experience. And thanks
S6: to everyone that was with me, because you shared your
S6: lives with me, and I love every one of them.
S1: All right, let's go to the story of Joseph. I'm
S1: looking forward to this. Charlie, take it away.
S2: Thanks, John. And I got to start by saying, what
S2: was the worst day of your life? You know, a
S2: day that was the pits. I suppose we all have
S2: those days we'd like to forget. For me, one of
S2: the finalists for the worst day of my life was
S2: in the early 1980s. I think mentally I blotted out
S2: the exact date, but I remember the day well. I
S2: had just failed the German exam required for my doctoral
S2: program for the second time. I remember going home in
S2: a funk and saying to my wife, that's it, we're
S2: out of here. Thankfully, she didn't share that sentiment and
S2: cooler heads prevailed. I took a different approach to learning
S2: theological German and passed the test on the next attempt.
S2: But I still remember that day. And it was the pits.
S2: In a wild twist of fate, one of the best
S2: days of my life took place about four years later. Thankfully,
S2: there are a number of best days I can remember
S2: from coming to faith to getting married. But the day
S2: I have in mind, here is the day I finally
S2: got to visit the ancient city of Babylon. That was
S2: the subject of my master's thesis. And here I was,
S2: walking the actual street traversed by Daniel and standing in
S2: the remains of King Nebuchadnezzar's throne room. That day was unforgettable.
S2: In the space of just a few years, I went
S2: from the pits to standing in that palace. But reading
S2: the Bible I learned I wasn't alone in such wild
S2: swings and circumstances. In fact, over 3800 years before my experience,
S2: Abraham's great grandson had a very similar experience. And yet,
S2: for young Joseph, the journey from a pit to a
S2: palace took more than just a few years. But I'm
S2: getting ahead of myself, so follow me. As we trace
S2: Joseph's wild roller coaster ride that sent him into the
S2: depths before rocketing him up to the heights. Our first
S2: stop on this journey is near the ancient town of Dothan.
S2: Dothan's visited by very few tourists today, but that's because
S2: the road to Dothan from the Jezreel Valley runs through
S2: the modern Arab town of Jenin. Let's just say Janine
S2: is one of those towns you don't want to visit
S2: if you value the windshield of your car or bus.
S2: And that's a shame, because the road that passes by
S2: is one of the three main routes south from the
S2: Jezreel Valley. The more direct road passes by Megiddo, but
S2: the Dothan Pass was a well-known roadway for ancient travelers.
S2: As we stand here, we see a group of ten
S2: men watching over flocks of sheep and goats nearby. They're
S2: looking toward the South, and they seem to be arguing
S2: over a lone figure in the distance, walking their direction. Oh, no.
S2: It's daddy's little spy coming to check up on us.
S2: I could spot that fancy robe he's wearing anywhere. What's
S2: he doing up here? I think it's time we taught
S2: him a lesson. 17 year old Joseph was too far
S2: away to hear the angry words being spoken by his brothers.
S2: He was on a mission from his father to check
S2: up on his family, and even finding them hadn't been easy.
S2: He started out from his father's tent near Hebron, and
S2: had been told his brothers were grazing near Shechem, over
S2: 50 miles away. But on arriving there, he discovered his
S2: brothers had moved from Shechem to Dothan, another 18 miles.
S2: And because they were so far from home, several of
S2: the brothers decided this might be a good time to
S2: get rid of young Joseph. You know the story. The
S2: brothers ganged up on Joseph, tore off his robe and
S2: threw him into a nearby cistern, spotting a caravan of
S2: Midianite merchants traveling south along the roadway on their way
S2: to Egypt, the brothers decided to sell Joseph as a
S2: slave to at least make a little financial profit off
S2: their evil deed. They sold Joseph for 20 shekels of silver.
S2: Each of the ten brothers netting a profit of two shekels,
S2: the rough equivalent of two days wages from his father's
S2: favored son, to being mugged by his brothers and thrown
S2: into a pit, to being bought as a slave and
S2: carried off to Egypt. Joseph's life ended up in the
S2: pits and kept getting worse. You know what happened next?
S2: Joseph ended up as a slave in Potiphar's house. God
S2: was with Joseph and he found favor in Potiphar's eyes. Unfortunately,
S2: he was also eyed by Potiphar's wife, who made Joseph
S2: an offer she was sure he couldn't refuse. Come to
S2: bed with me. Joseph's refusal infuriated her, and when he
S2: literally fled sexual immorality with her still holding his cloak,
S2: she charged him with attempted rape. The pit that Joseph
S2: was in seemed to get even deeper. He went from
S2: being a slave to being thrown into a cell in
S2: the royal prison once again. Though Joseph's faithfulness seemed to
S2: offer a ray of hope, Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker were
S2: both thrown into prison, and while there each had a dream.
S2: Joseph interpreted both dreams, and they came true. Just as
S2: he predicted. The cupbearer was restored to his position in
S2: three days, and Joseph had one request remember me, show
S2: me kindness, and remember me to Pharaoh. But the prison
S2: door slammed shut for another two years. The cupbearer forgot.
S2: Now put yourself in Joseph's place. We might say our
S2: life is the pits. If we have a bad day
S2: or a bad few days. Joseph's time in the pit
S2: and as a slave, and then falsely charged and sent
S2: to prison lasted 13 years. That's enough to make anyone
S2: become cynical and jaded, but not Joseph. Pharaoh had a
S2: dream and it jogged the Cupbearers memory. Joseph was brought
S2: from the prison to the palace to interpret the dream.
S2: And as they say, the rest is history. Now, at
S2: the still young age of 30, Joseph was placed in
S2: charge of the whole land of Egypt. He helped store
S2: up grain during the seven years of plenty to bring
S2: Egypt through the following seven years of famine, and when
S2: the years of famine gripped the land, including the land
S2: of Canaan, where Joseph's family still was living, the aged
S2: patriarch Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain
S2: from a human perspective. Joseph had to understand the irony
S2: of this situation. The brothers who had wanted to enslave,
S2: even kill him, were now begging for bread. He literally
S2: had the power of life or death over them. Joseph
S2: finally revealed to his brothers who he was, and in
S2: a bit of understated elegance, Moses recorded what happened next.
S2: But his brothers were not able to answer him because
S2: they were terrified at his presence. Joseph then explained the
S2: larger issues in play. Do not be distressed and do
S2: not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because
S2: it was to save lives that God sent me ahead
S2: of you. Later, following the death of Jacob, Joseph reaffirmed
S2: his understanding of God's master plan as the brothers bowed
S2: before Joseph, saying, we are your slaves. He answered, don't
S2: be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You
S2: intended to harm me, but God intended it for good
S2: to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of
S2: many lives. Well, it's time to quietly slip away from
S2: the palace and head on home. But what lesson can
S2: we carry along with us as we watch Joseph go
S2: from the pits to the palace? I think it's this.
S2: We all experience highs and lows in life, and sometimes
S2: those struggles are caused by others. But rather than getting
S2: angry or becoming depressed or seeking revenge, God has a
S2: better response. First face life. Realistically, there are people who
S2: will mistreat you, disrespect you, even try to harm you.
S2: But look beyond those circumstances and focus on the God
S2: of the universe. And as you do, respond in a
S2: way that pleases and honors him, even if nothing seems
S2: to change in your life. Joseph kept his focus on God,
S2: and he consciously chose to always do what was pleasing
S2: to God, even when it looked as if his actions
S2: were in vain. You do your part and then trust
S2: God to do his part at just the right time. Remember,
S2: he's the one who can take you from the pits
S2: to the palace.
S1: Thank you. Charlie. Face life realistically. Focus on God and
S1: leave the results to him. Great advice and a great
S1: story as well from Genesis. I appreciate that devotional and
S1: appreciate you hanging with us today for the entire broadcast.
S1: You can hear it all again at The Land and
S1: the book.org, and we hope you'll be with us next time.
S1: I'm John Gager for Charlie Dyer and Dan Anderson. The
S1: land and the book is a production of Moody Radio,
S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.